It’s kind of funny to me that pastors pray the Lord’s Prayer in church. The whole point of Jesus sharing this prayer was to not just say some memorized prayer, but instead pray like this. So we turned around and just memorized that prayer instead. Awesome. Prayer is the coolest thing in the world. We … More Stop Praying the Lord’s Prayer and Start Actually Praying
The pastor not preaching on a Sunday is weird for everyone. The congregation wonders what the pastor is getting paid for and a dozen or so people won’t show up because the pastor isn’t there to “take attendance” (if the pastor gets a break, they should too.) For me personally, it’s not only strange because … More Confessions of a Pastor on Vacation
When it comes to the End Times, I honestly have friends that believe just about every theory man has invented. I say, “man has invented” only because the labels we put on theology about the end of days usually don’t occur in Scripture. I personally see some evidences of a variety of eschatological concepts. But, … More Ready for an Argument on the End Times? Ready, Set, Hang-on a Minute!
So you think you found an error in Scripture. Quick, what do you do? A) Become an Atheist Seems a little extreme, but the truly committed non-believer thinks that every Christian is but a un-crossed “t” or an un-dotted “i” away from throwing their faith in the garbage like left-over Taco Bell that got stuck … More Uh Oh, I Might Have Found a Mistake in the Bible
When I say the American Dream, I’m sure different thoughts come to different people’s minds. I mean the idea that if you work hard, and play by the rules, you can be wildly successful. (Not that you will be, but that you can be.) I do still believe this. I believe America, better than most … More The American Dream is Not True (Spiritually Speaking)
I don’t know the answer to that question. Not completely anyway. I can narrow it down some and eliminate some possibilities, but I’m still left with a giant, heaping pile of “I’m not sure.” It’s natural to have thoughts like, am I being punished? Is God trying to get my attention? Is God not listening … More Why Does God Heal Some People and Not Others?
You are about to hear a lot of scientific sounding stuff, so be warned, my doctorate is in Ministry. But, I do have a scientific background. I submit the following: In elementary school, my science project was called “Are You a Germ-inator.” I touched various surfaces and then grew cultures in a Petri dish. Humans … More Adam and Eve Were Identical Twin Spouses
There are two reasons why pastors see movies. 1) Entertainment – It’s quick, you don’t have to read it, and a cartoon character demands that you turn your phone off (not even my wife can get me to do that one.) 2) Sermon Illustrations – Movies are expensive, but they’re basically a ministry expense. (I’m … More Judges Assemble!
I fully realize the consumer mentality that all Americans have, and American church-goers are no different. Fortunately, most cities in America probably have just about as many churches as they do restaurants. If we have a bad experience or our palate simply changes, we can pretty easily find a new church. So imagine a restaurant … More Think of Church Like a Restaurant
Joe Allotta 